Dan Reed

HST 204

Essay #2

10/26/05

Colonialism

During the late 1800’s the concept of colonialism had become increasingly more appealing to Europe as a world power. This increased desire to colonize was no more apparent than in the case of “black continent” of Africa. This amplified desire was a result of a number of issues. The origins of the aspiration to colonize Africa can be traced to concepts of political and diplomatic reasoning as well as issues of cultural and social interpretations of foreign peoples. The imperial powers of Europe felt that colonialism of Africa would increase their political leverage over other areas. The area that had the most occupied territory was thought to be the most powerful. They also justified colonization by saying Africans as a people were culturally and socially unfit to run their own country. It was the duty of the imperial powers to exploit the Africans land before it was wasted, or in their terms, the white mans burden. Europe began to see Africa as a continent ripe for exploration and discovery. These goals would later evolve into those of personal benefit for those who would come to colonize foreign lands. As a result of such processes the social and psychological effects of colonialism felt by those being colonized was adverse in nature. Consequences such as loss of land, forced labor, required taxes, and over all pacification were all consequences Africans felt as a result of colonialism. These origins and effects of colonialism are important to understand because it gives us an insight into the past. They can be used explain why we are where we are today, and how we got there. They can also help us to understand the mistakes of our past so we may not repeat the same ones in the future.

As a result of the industrial revolution Europe had become more focused on advancing their economy through the building of their industrial machine. The emphasis on fiscal power had become increasingly more important as industry began to take off. Along with this economic view, Europeans were also focused on concepts such as the white man’s burden and social Darwinism. They felt as if it were the burden of the white man to take on the responsibility of using the African continent for what it was worth as well as ruling the African people. People in Europe felt as if Africans were not capable of taking care of themselves and certainly not equipped to use their country to their advantage[1]. They saw Africans as the lesser race, the more insignificant people. Cecil Rhodes characterizes this thought in an account from 1877. He says; “Just fancy those parts that are at present that are inhabited by the most despicable specimens of human beings what an alteration there would be if they were brought under Anglo-Saxon influence.[2]” Ideologies such as these played key roles in the origins of the colonization of Africa because it gave an excuse or reason for Europe to colonize without question. Once this concept of African colonization became more and more advantages to Europe as a nation, infighting and bickering followed almost immediately. All the imperial powers of Europe wanted a piece of the great African pie. As a result in 1884 a remedy to these problems was created. A conference was to be held to divide the continent among all the powers equally. Each power was to gain their personal share of the black continent. The conference, which was attended by representatives of Great Britain, Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Russia, U.S.A., Portugal, Denmark, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium and Turkey, served a number of purposes. The first was to divide the different regions of Africa among the attendants. After that task had been accomplished specifics on what exactly their new “ownership” would imply were formed. Issues of trade among the imperial powers, the tax of goods imported and exported, and navigation of the continent and its waterways were all issues, among other, that were accounted for during the conference.

Now that the pie had been cut, and everyone had a slice, the process of colonization could be set into motion. In its early stages colonization of Africa was less focused on monetary benefits and more so on the discovery of the uncharted land of Africa as well as the conversion of its people. During the early 1800’s, besides its coast, Africa was predominantly uncharted by Europeans. For Europe there was a desire to delve deeper into the continent to discover its geographical mysteries as well gaining the precious treasures of gold and ivory[3]. Rhodes illustrates this desire by saying; “Africa is still lying ready for us. It is our duty to take it.2” As a result of this exploration and discovery a vast majority of new African people were revealed. This gave early Europeans missionaries a greater opportunity for conversion as well as the spread of their religion, or as they characterized it the “raising up” of the African people. Europeans wanted to baptize Africans as a means to convert them to their religion, Christianity. The goal of Europeans was to abolish whatever distracted and primitive religion Africans may have been practicing. Europeans felt that the more influence of Christianity on the Africa continent and its inhabitants, the better.

Evolving from the early characteristics and ideals of colonialism was the desire to use Africa as a means to benefit the European industrial machine. It was noted earlier that Europe has become increasingly more industrial since the revolution of such processes. The ideology of industry had become a front running goal of the imperial powers at the time. John Hobson put voice to this economic desire when he said; “Our economic analysis has disclosed the fact that it [economic desire] is only in the interests of competing cliques of business men-investors, contractors, export manufacturers and certain professional classes.[4]” With this noted, the industrial machine was not cheap or easy to run. It took raw materials like coal and oil as well as manpower and financial stability to make industry profitable. Europe and the imperial powers began to see hidden gems in Africa. Hidden gems that Europe believed could be exploited to benefit its industrial machine, gems such as farmland, workers, and fiscal opportunities to be exploited. Europeans believed that Africans lacked the knowledge and competency to maintain and use their own land and its resources for any sort of good. They believed that it was their duty to exploit this land for what it was worth. Colonialism, in this sense, characterized Africans as incapable gaining anything from their homeland. Just as Cecil Rhodes had written, there was plenty of fertile land to be had in Africa. This land could be used for the farming of goods for profit as well as goods that could be used in alternate means. Peanuts for instance could be used to make oil, which would be used in factories and the machines within them. Aside from farming European powers saw the exploitation of the inhabitants of Africa as very beneficial as well. Since Europeans felt that Africans lacked both social and ethical values they saw them as just another means for exploitation[5]. The missionaries who had begun the colonization of Africa to convert the natives had in effect molded them into more competent workers as well as more flexible exploits. Europeans felt if they were able to create “better” people out of the Africans then they could create a better workforce and supplement to the industrial machine. Not only could they take care of all the Europeans farming and labor in their own land, but they could also be traded off as slaves in Europe and other lands. This industrial advantage became the leading factor for colonialism. Colonizing Africa began to be seen as a significant competitive advantage in the new industrial economy. Rhodes said that “The more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race.2”

It had been established the Africans and their land when exploited were beneficial to Europe and the imperial powers. The means in which these benefits of Africa were acquired however were not as subtle to say the least. As it was said, Europeans felt that Africans as a whole were not fit to rule themselves or their land. Europeans felt as if the resource of Africa had been going to waist. Once the imperial powers arrived in Africa they began to take control of the land and people through any way they saw fit. They used excessive force almost unconsciously. Hobson characterizes this edict by saying; “The decades of imperialism have been prolific in wars; most of these wars have been directly motivated by aggression of the white races upon ‘lower races’.4” A term European settlers used to characterize this succession of rights and power was “pacification.” It was a term that meant Africans should allow the colonial powers to do whatever they saw fit with no negative reaction towards them what so ever. This pacification was to be implemented through any means necessary, which included such techniques as hammering. Hammering was the not so subtle way of taking control of Africans through brutal force. All Africans were hammered in some form or another to create a passive people that could be controlled and manipulated to benefit the imperial nations. They might be beaten, degraded, tortured, maimed or simply killed. Along with hammering, advancements Europe had made in weaponry made the Africans no match for war against the colonizers. Spears had no chance against that of automatic weapons. Although some tribes were successful to some degree is preventing this type of takeover through strategy and technique, it wasn’t long before they too would fall to colonialism by force. Chinua Achebe illustrates the way, in which early European’s came to the continent of Africa and claimed it in less violent manners, beautifully. In his book Home and Exile he recounts a short story of an African man who allows an elephant to shelter his trunk inside of his hut. Slowly the elephant moves farther and farther into the man’s hut until finally there was no more room for the man. The man is forced to move and rebuild a new hut for himself. After the man’s new home is finally built and he is living inside a similar occurrence happens, this time with a rhino. The rhino slowly takes over the man’s residence and once again the man moves and rebuilds. Again he suffers the same fate by another animal. In the end the man builds a magnificent house that attracts all of his animal colonizers. Once the animals begin to take over this new structure the man torches the building burning the animals inside alive[6]. This story is a metaphor of what Africans faced as a result of colonization. Europeans came to their land and without asking any questions took it as their own. There was no consideration for who Africans were, or that they had been living on their own for some time without trouble. They suffered prejudice and mistreatment at the hands of Europeans. They were killed and sold into labor with no benefit of their own. As terrible as colonization may have been for Africans it also had an almost bright side. The education that Africans received from the early missionaries helped to create a more aware African that was able to read and write, and thus lead to educated rebellion and the downfall of such colonialism. Or in terms of Achebe be the downfall of colonialism as the burning of the house and the vindication of the man.

Whether it was for reasons of political and diplomatic issues or those of cultural and social interpretations, colonization was a real occurrence that affected both Africans and Europeans to great extents. Europe found ways to exploit Africa for their industrial and social gain. Industry thrived and Europe gained both social and national power. As for Africans they experienced great hardships and turmoil with little up side. Their land and homes were gone and they were killed and brutalized by colonizers. The after effects of colonialism are still noticeable in African society today. The Christian religion, though now preached in the native language with less emphasis on sin or guilt, is still present. There are churches established by the early missionaries that still stand where this African version of Christianity is taught. And then there are the railways, built buy African slaves during colonization so that Europeans could navigate deeper into the continent. The railways that many Africans gave their lives to create. But most vivid of all there are the stories told by Africans who were young enough to witness colonialism first hand. These are the most genuine and stunning images of colonialism present in modern day Africa. In the end was colonization “worth it” or beneficial for either side? Obviously it helped Europe as both an Imperial and Industrial power, but did it really benefit or better Africans in the end, are they better off now? Had they overcome colonization? I think Achebe illustrates it best in his book when he talks of a Nigerian man who takes a parcel to the post office in London for delivery to his homeland. The woman at the post when looking at the package said; “Nigeria…Is Nigeria ours or French?” To which the man replied, “Nigeria is yours madam.” But today if the same question was posed, Achebe says the man would reply differently, he would say; “Nigeria was neither hers nor French but his.6”

Bibliography

6. Achebe, Chinua. Home and Exile. New York: William Morrow, 20002

3. Davidson, Basil The Bible and The Gun. Video Doc. Africa

1. Davidson, Basil The magnificent African Cake. Video Doc. Africa

5. Fenton, Franz The Evils of Colonialism. Handout. 1961

4. Hobson, John An Early Critique of Imperialism. Handout. 1902

2. Rhodes, Cecil. Confession of Faith. Handout.1877

1. Zoya, Follain, John Christofari, Rita. Zoya’s Story. New York: William Morrow, 20002

2. Gandhi, Mohandas. The Human Record: Gandhi’s Vision For India. p.443-444

3. Human Record. Report On An Investigation Of The Peasant Movement In Hunan. p. 458

4. bin laden, Osama. Human Record. Declaration of Jihad Against Americans Occupying The Land Of The To Holy Mosques. p. 524

5. Guest Lecture. HST 204. Fall 2005

Duiker, Spielvogel, World History. Volume 2, 4^th Edition: Since 1400. p. 823

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[1] Davidson, Basil The magnificent African Cake

[4] Hobson, John An Early Critique of Imperialism

4 Hobson, John An Early Critique of Imperialism